Lazy eye gets video game treatment

Treating the lazy eye syndrome has just gotten a kick in the butt with the incorporation of technology – and instead of using the standard eye patch, kids suffering from a lazy eye can wear special gaming goggles, thanks to the effort of eye specialists over at the Glasgow Caledonian University. This particular team of eye specialists have conjured a video game that intends to treat a common sight problem that occurs in children. Initial tests have shown that playing the Tetris-style game has resulted in nearly instantaneous improvement.

Lazy eye, also known as amblyopia, is caused by a misalignment in the eyes, where one eye is capable of focusing better compared to the other. It affects around 3% to 4% of the children population, and to hear from 10-year-old Calum Stillie who gave this treatment a go, his words have been encouraging. “I realised that I wasn’t falling over as much. I could also read things much easier on the board at school and wasn’t making so many mistakes in sums.” No idea on whether there are any side effects in the long run associated with such treatment, but it looks like video games have scored yet another point in the hearts and minds of parents everywhere.